Game apparatus



Jan. 8, 1924. v 1,480,360

,w. P.. AGEE, JR

GAME APPARATUS Filed March 8, 1922 lmwwtoz William F! flee Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,480,360 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. AGEE, JR., 0] HOPE, ARKANSAS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed March 8, 1922. Serial No. 542,103.

posed upon the board, and a die or othermove indicating member is operated to indicate the number of spaces that the marker is to be moved upon the board.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus of this character wherein the board has a series of consecutive spaces, these spaces being diflerently colored and also differently numbered, the die or other move indicator used having different faces differently colored corresponding to the colors of the spaces onthe board and having numbers thereon indicating the number of spaces which a player who throws the die is to move, it being necessary in order that the player shall progress upon the board that the color of the face of the die coming up shall correspond to the color upon the space to which'the player would move according to the number on the face of the die.

A further object is to provide a game board and die of the character described in which certain of the spaces indicate that the player arriving at that space shall progress to some other space or be setback to some other space.

A still further object is to provide a die which has the shape of an octahedron or a double pyramid, the faces carrying numbers or other move indicating indicia, such a die being more readily cast than a die of cubical form and giving a greater variety of indicia' perspective view of the indicator or (he;

Figure 4 is a view of a die slightly different from that shown in Figure 3;

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that the board A has the size of an ordinary checker board and is divided like the ordinary checker board into alternate squares of different color, as for instance alternate red and black squares. One of these squares, indicated as at the right hand lower corner of the board and designated B, has a color different from any of the other squares and is the starting point of the game. One of the squares in the middle of the board and designated C is colored differently from the other squares and isthe finishing point of the game. The squares are preferably numbered consecutively from 1 to 100, the starting square B being numbered 1 and the finishing square being numbered 100. The squares are numbered consecutively 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., reading upward from the starting square, then across the board, then downward, then again across the board toward the starting square, then up on the second column counting from the right hand end of the board, then to the left, then down again. again to the right across the board, etc., in what might be called a spiral direction until the square C is reached.

Certain of the squares, it will be seen, are peculiarly designated by being surrounded with a white border or border different from the colors of the othersquares, and these squares have written in them the words,

Progress or Go back,. together with a number indicating the square to which the player is to progress to or the square to which he is to go back. Such squares as this indicating an additional progress or that the player is to retrace his steps are designated D. As designed, the game board is ten squares square, but obviously it may be of any desired number of squares. The squares having thereon the words Progress to or .Go back to are squares having thereon numbers which may be divided evenly by 5, except the square 96 which is an exception. Any number of player pieces may be used. These pieces are preferably circular, though they may be of any shape and are differently colored, as for instance red, black, yellow, blue, etc. I have illus-.

trated two player pieces, one red and the other black, and designated E.

Used as an indicator in connection with the player pieces of the game board is a die F having the form of a regular octahedron or double pyramid. This provides eight triangular spaces or four of these triangular spaces on each side of the die. There may be a middle space 7" separating one-half of the double pyramid from the other half of the double pyramid and these spaces f may be used. for advertising matter if desired. Essentially, however, the die is, as before stated, a regular octahedron. Two faces on one side of the die are colored red and the other two faces black, corresponding to the red and blackspaces of the-game board, and these four faces on this side of the die are numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4 or provided with other indicia. The faces on the opposite side of the die are also colored alternately red and black and preferably are alternate with relation to the red and black faces on the first named side of the die and are provided with the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4 so disposed that if the numerals 1 and 4 are disposed on the red faces of one side of the die, the numerals 1 and 4 on the opposite side of the die will be disposed in the black spaces. In other words, the numerals on one side of the die are reversely disposed with relation to the numerals on the other side of the die. It will be seen that with this die there is no position in which it can be viewed that, either sidewise, flat, or otherwise, 1, 2, 3 and 4 cannot be counted. In practically any position you can see four triangles at one time.

The pieces E are to be made of pasteboard, celluloid, or other suitable material. The indicator or counter F can be made of any suitable material and of any size desired. There may be as many of the pieces E as there are players, 'each piece E having a different color so as to distinguish the players and these pieces need not have the same color as the squares on the board.

One manner in which this game may be played is as follows: Assuming that there are only two players having two red and black pieces E, the first player throwing must throw a number and a color which will progress him .or permit him to move onto a like color to that indicated by the uppermost face of the die. Otherwise he loses the next throw. The player progresses to the number of points indicated by the uppermost face of the die provided the color on this uppermost face is the same as that on the square to which he is to move. For instance, if a player at 1 casts the die and the face of the die uppermost is 3, the player can advance his piece from the #1 square to the #4 square (three squares as indicated by the numeral 3) because this numeral 3 is on a red face of the die and the point to which he is to move, in other words square #4, is red. If, however, the die had been cast and a blackfaee had come uppermost with the numeral 3 thereon, the player in that case could not have moved from 1 because three moves would have landed him on the fourth space, which is red. At each throw the player, when a throw is made which entitles him to progress, must say Pro before his opponent can say Razz. In case the opponent says Razz before the player throwing says Pro, the player throwing isset back five squares from his initial position.

As an example of this manner of playing the game, the two players are represented by the two colored pieces E and start at #1 square. Red casts the die and a black face comes up with the numeral 4 thereon. Red then counts four squares from #1 and stops on 5 black. This #5 square says Progress to 9 and as a consequence the player must immediately say Pro before his opponent can say Razz and if he succeeds in doing this he moves from #5 square to #9 square. Red then again plays and the die stops with a black face uppermost with #1 thereon. This would carry the red player to square #10, but inasmuch as this is'a red square he cannot move and loses the throw. Black then starts and a red face of the die comes uppermost with the numeral 3 thereon. This entitles black to progress to the red square numbered 4 on the board, provided black said Pro before his opponent could say Razz. Black again throws and moves to the square indicated provided the color on this square is the same as the color coming uppermost on the die, and continues to move until the color on the face of the die is different from the color on the square to which black is entitled to move. Then black stops his progress and red casts the die and continues to move until he in turn is stopped. Of course, if red or black land upon a square. as for instance the square numbered 15, the player has to go back to the square #11, as indicated on square #15. Had black or red either one at the starting of the game thrown the die so as to indicate 1 on a black face triangle or 2 on a red face triangle, neither would have progressed, inasmuch as the first square after the starting square is red. When progress is made by a thrower or player, the player is entitled to as many consecutive throws of the die as he can progress.

The game may be made more complicated by the following rule: When a player progresses and then loses his next throw, the player following can send any player back five spaces if the color and number on the die place the second player on the same space as any of the players ahead of him, as no two players can occupy the same square and a player coming up behind can send another player back if the first named player throws a color and a number that will progress him onto the square occupied by a player ahead. If a player should get set backfive squares, and this would take his piece onto a square occupied by another The game may also be played as follows:

The board is used to keep count only. The

' player selects a player piece of a certain the same proportions.

color and thereafter he counts only those points on those faces of the die which have the corresponding color. Thus, for instance, black throws and 3 comes up, this 3 being on a black space. This gives black 3 points gain. Had he thrown 4 on a red face of the die he would have lost 4 points. Any number 1, 2, 3 or L of the chosen color wins in proportion to the number, while the numbers on the opposite color indicate losses in 50 is the limit of the game and it is necessary to start on #50 on the board in order that the gains may runtoward the 100 square and losses run toward the square marked #1.

Another variant of the game is as follows: The player throws for a color anda point. For example, black throws the die and the upturned face shows #3 black. This, therefore, is blacks point and his color and he is entitled to throw as many consecutive times as he throws the same color until he wins by repeating the first throw, that is until the die comes up with #3 black. If he throws an opposite color he loses the throw and the other player takes the die. 50 may be the limit of this game and the pieces are used merely as counters. The count is made from the square marked 50 toward the square marked 100 and the losses are indicated on the square from 50 to l. The player is entitled to throw as many consecutive times as he can make his point.

It will be obvious that other rules might be used and other games played on this board using the indicator to indicate the position to which the pieces are to be moved. Obviously the exact shape of the board might be changed, the numbered spaces might be differently shaped, and other changes made in the details without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Thus, for instance, the die may be different from that shown in Figure 3 or constructed in the manner shown in Figure 4, wherein the faces of the die are not colored but colored dots are used upon the face of the die, the numerals being designated by one dot, two dots, three dots, etc., and these dots being either red or black to indicate the red or black faces of the die. Preferably this die will have such dimensions that each triangular space is an equi-lateral triangle.

Thus the base of each triangular space W81? equal the height of the triangle, that is the width of the die is the same as the length of the die.

I claim 1. A game die having the form of an octahedron, four of the faces being of one color and the other four faces of another color, said faces being counterchanged or alternate, the four faces on one side of the die having numerals from 1 to 4 thereon, the faces on the other side of the die having numerals from 1 to 4 thereon but associated with the opposite colors from the like numerals on the other side of the die.

2. A game apparatus comprising a die having differently colored faces; each face having a number thereon, and a board divided into spaces having the same colors as those on the .die and being consecutively numbered, one of the spaces constituting a finishing point for the game and having the highest number, certain of the spaces having indicia thereon indicating the player arriving at that space is to go backward or move forward a certain 'number of spaces.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board having a series of consecutive spaces thereon, the alternate spaces having the same color and intermediate spaces having a diferent color from the first named spaces, said spaces being consecutively numbered, certain of the spaces having indicia thereon indicating that the player arriving at that space must move backward or forward a certain number of spaces, pieces movable over said spaces, and an indicator having a plurality of spaces, the spaces being colored to correspond to the colors on the board and the spaces bearing numbers indicating movements of the players along the spaces on the board.

4. A game apparatus comprising a board having a series of consecutive spaces, alternate spaces being of the same color, intermediate spaces being of another color, said spaces being consecutively numbered, certain of the spaces having thereon indicia indicating that the player arriving at that space is to move backward or forward a certain number of'spaces, and a play indicator having a plurality of spaces thereon colored to correspond with the spaces on the board, one-half of the spaces on the indicator having consecutive numbers, the other halfof the indicator having like numbers, the numbers on one-half of the indicator being disposed on a different colored space from the like numbers on the other half of the indicator.

5. A game apparatus of the character debeing numbered consecutively and certain of the spaces having thereon indicia indicating either a backward movement of the player arriving in this space or a forward movement of the player, player pieces coacting with the board and movable over the spaces, and an indicator comprising a die having the form of an octahedron, each side of the die having four triangular 10 spaces alternately colored in correspondence with the colors on the board, said spaces being numbered from 1 to 4 on each side of the die, the numbers on the faces on one side of the die being disposed on spaces of the opposite color from the like spaces on 15 the opposite side of the die.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM P. AGEE, JR. 

